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For all you fact fanatics-here’s more information about coffee and the America’s. Although coffee beans and brewing originated in the Middle East it quickly spread to the far reaches of the world. Coffee is not just a popular drink, but a popular crop in the Americas, where much of the area had a climate that was ideal for the beans to thrive.

Here are 15 Fun Facts about the history of coffee in the Americas, from South and Central America and the Caribbean right up through to North America and Hawaii.

Hawaii is the only US state that produces coffee commercially.

The United States imports more than $4 billion dollars’ worth of coffee each year.

New Yorkers drink almost 7 times more coffee than other cities in the US.

Coffee first made its way to the Caribbean around 1720, when naval commander Gabriel de Clieu brought coffee seedlings to the island of Martinique.

Those sprouts flourished and 50 years later there were over 18,500 coffee trees in Martinique — enabling the spread of coffee cultivation to Haiti, Mexico and other nearby islands in the Caribbean.

In around 1727, the King of Portugal sent an emissary to French Guinea to obtain coffee seeds to become a part of the coffee market. The King’s emissary is said to have initially had difficulty obtaining these seeds, but after charming the French Governor’s wife, she sent him enough seeds and shoots to start up a coffee industry in Brazil.

In 1893, the coffee from Brazil was introduced back into Kenya and Tanzania, not far from its place of origin in Ethiopia 600 years prior — ending the energetic bean’s transcontinental journey.

In the 1930s Brazil took off as major producer of coffee, and now produces around a third of the world’s coffee beans.

Coffee represents 75% of all the caffeine consumed in the United States.

The first webcam was invented at The University of Cambridge to let people know whether or not the coffee pot was full.

Americans consume 400 million cups of coffee per day, equivalent to 146 billion cups of coffee per year, making the United States one of the leading consumers of coffee in the world.

The average American worker spends approximately $20 on coffee per week — be it lattes, roasted beans or pods for their at home espresso machine.

Seattle has 10 times more coffee stores per 100,000 residents than the United States has overall.

When coffee was first introduced in America, it was not as popularly received as it had been in Europe. Some scholars believe coffee’s popularity grew during the Revolutionary War, as tea became more and more difficult to obtain from British merchants.

If ever offered a “Cowboy Coffee” — politely decline! According to legend, cowboys used to make coffee by putting ground coffee in a clean sock and dunking it in cold water. They’d then heat it over the campfire, and pour the liquid into tin cups when it was ready to drink.

We can’t stop talking about coffee here at Rae’s Cafe, and we know most of you share our passion for this incredible beverage. So here are a few more fun facts for you all to share with friends and acquaintances, over – as always – your favorite cup of Organo Gold.
-It takes around 40 coffee beans to make one shot of espresso. Europeans love their coffee.

-The top five coffee drinking countries in the world in 2012 were: 1. Finland 2. Norway 3. Iceland 4. Denmark 5. The Netherlands.

-One third of all the world’s coffee is grown in Brazil.

-The world record for coffee consumption is 82 cups in 7 hours — but we don’t recommend it!

-In the US, the average American worker spends $20 a week on coffee.

-America consumes around 400 million cups of coffee per day — that’s enough to fill 14.2 Statues of Liberty!
Seattle has the most coffee shops per capita in the US, with 1,640, and ranks number one on the list of most caffeinated cities.

-America spends an estimated $4 billion importing coffee each year — Hawaii is the only state that grows coffee commercially.

Tea is a beverage often associated with health (all those antioxidants), breakfast (all those crumpets!) and ancient cultures (all those ceremonies). So tea has a long, diverse and storied history. Here are some fun facts about tea you may not have known:

Tea bags were invented in America in the early 1800s, and were initially used to hold samples of teas brought from India. Today, an estimated 96% of all cups of tea served around the world are made using tea bags.

After tourism, the cultivation of tea is India’s second largest industry.

Tea leaves are a natural deterrent against insects such as mosquitoes. Simply use slightly damp leaves to add the scent of tea to the areas you want to keep insect-free.

Tea leaves can also help to heal shaving cuts, eliminate bad odors, and make a great fertilizer for roses.

As we all know, tea is a natural antioxidant, but it is also rich in essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamins B2, B1 and B6, potassium, manganese, folic acid and calcium.

And of course Rae’s tea products are also enhanced with Organo Gold’s prized Ganoderma powder, making Rae’s teas some of the most beneficial beverages around!